


Never Too Late

by crystallies



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Abuse, Anxiety Attacks, Bubblegum Rock is the main ship here, Despair, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, F/M, Graphic Violence, Insanity, Internal Conflict, M/M, Multiple Pairings, Stockholm Syndrome, ultimate despair
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 00:48:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4767308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystallies/pseuds/crystallies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kazuichi Souda is Junko Enoshima's favorite out of all her followers, despite what she tells them. In exchange for helping her achieve Ultimate Despair, she promised him he'd get what he wants too: Leon Kuwata.</p><p>Set during the events of the first game, behind the scenes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to get my Bubblegum Rock feels out, and I strongly believe that after two years of Junko manipulating Souda, he turned into how I've written him in the fic below. He's actually a very emotionally complex character, so there's a lot of conflict inside him whereas manipulating the other members might have come easier for Junko as they all had a very specific goal that could have easily tipped the balance; I truly believe Junko had to try her hardest to manipulate Souda, and Gundham as well... but I'll go into that later. ;)
> 
> Just remember these key facts about Souda, despite him being under Junko's influence: he's soft, not overly intelligent when it comes to things other than machinery, a bit selfish, a coward, and deep down he always gives it his best. On the other hand, he's very sensitive and emotional, cares deeply for others but isn't very good at showing it, and blurts things out without any filter. 
> 
> Take all his good qualities away, and you get what I've written him as. 
> 
> Also, a lot of my bubblegum rock headcanons can be found thrown here and there throughout this fic; I'd like to think that I came up with a lot of them myself because the games are pretty clear on how Leon and Souda's personalities are, also the timeline of events is also quite clear to me. However, if you all see things that might have been out there floating around the internet already, then it simply means that some other intelligent person and I think alike xD

    He often used his workshop as a place to get away from the others. He was there now, lying in his makeshift bed in the backseat of a car that he hadn’t fixed completely yet. Everything smelled of motor oil and metal, and if he didn’t have something else consuming his feelings he’d have probably appreciated it; those smells were the smells of home. The Monokuma announcement caused him to stir, sitting up and sliding out of the car. The others would be here soon. She required them to all watch with her in shifts, to grin and pretend that the students suffering in the school alongside her was something to be glad for; Ultimate Despair was the end goal, after all.  
  
    For Kazuichi Souda, his ultimate despair was coming, and he just didn’t know it yet.  
  
    “Soudaaaaa-kun, hurry up and get out of there! We have to see her before breakfast today,” Ibuki Mioda had stuck her head inside his workshop door, surveying him up and down. “You look disgusting. I hope Ibuki doesn’t have to sit with you today,” she grimaced at him before giggling madly. “If I do, I’ll just sing my faaaaavorite songs to you all day until it drives you crazy!” she skipped off ahead of him. He cringed at the thought of her horrible music, but instinct kicked in and he let out a low laugh at the thought. He was trained to smile and relish the thought of anything that would bring him despair, and it had become a habit over the past two years to simply fall into it.  
  
    He shoved his beanie on over his messy hair, shutting the door to his workshop and following Ibuki down the hall and into the room where the others were already gathered. He leaned against the wall beside Nagito, whose eyes swirled with anticipation at the high backed chair where she undoubtedly already sat, waiting for them. Izuru had the privilege of being at her right, long dark hair cascading messily over his shoulders. He and Nagito caught each other’s gazes and a mad grin spread across both of their faces.  The chair swirled around and she faced them all now, looking pristine and perfect as ever. Mikan let out an audible sigh at her appearance, as always, and Peko fell onto one knee in submission as she had been ordered to by her master, Fuyuhiko, every time their leader greeted them each day. Kazuichi simply stared, waiting.  
  
    “Good morning, my... despairingly wonderful senpais,” Junko Enoshima knew exactly how to manipulate them all into joining her, and despite holding the position as mastermind of this plot, she still spoke to them all as if they were the ones who were above her. “Last night, all of our hard work has paid off. Finally, one of the students was killed! Ahhh, it gives me tingles, it feels so good... Doesn’t it?” she asked all of them, grinning beautifully. Mikan let out a squeal and gripped her face excitedly, while Mahiru and Hiyoko giggled next to each other in delight.  
  
    “Who was it?” Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Impostor, crossed his large arms stoically despite the interested glint that shone behind his spectacles.  
  
    “Upupu, we’re going to watch the footage together! Turn your attention to the screen...” Junko snapped her fingers and Izuru pressed a button on the control panel behind her and the largest screen began playback of the events of the previous night. Kazuichi noted that she did not turn around to watch with them all, but rather stared at their faces as they took in the events on the screen, seeming to get more enjoyment off of that. Pulling his eyes away from Junko, Kazuichi schooled his features into his typical shark-toothed grin as he watched.  
  
     “S-sayaka-chan? She’s the murderer?” Ibuki was the first one to say something as Sayaka Maizono gripped the knife in her hand, obviously waiting for someone to arrive at the door she was hiding behind. Kazuichi’s eyes flicked towards the camera information at the bottom right of the screen. Naegi’s room. She was going to kill Naegi? That was unexpected, but it wasn’t a bad decision as he was small and weak... Kazuichi’s musings came to a halt as the door opened and a familiar redhead stepped into the room.  
  
     “Maizono-san? I came here like you asked... I kinda wanted to talk about music stuff since that’s what I wanna do when we all get out of here...” Leon Kuwata asked casually, handsome face questioning the whereabouts of the room’s occupant. Kazuichi’s blood was ice, but his face was also still frozen in that grin he had to maintain at all costs. Sayaka whirled around, slamming the door and slashing at Leon with the knife; his quick instincts saved him, and he grabbed an ornamental katana from on top of the desk beside him and parried her blows, giving as good as he got. Sayaka seemed to panic, dropping the knife and running for the bathroom. Leon swore and ran after her, grabbing the door and trying to go inside the bathroom. “Ma-maizono-san! It’s okay! Let’s just talk about this, I know you’re scared... Ugh, just come out and it’ll be fine!” Leon was never really good with words; Kazuichi remembered that had been one of the most endearing things about him.  
  
    With Sayaka crying in the bathroom, Leon swore again and ran out of the room. Kazuichi felt a little tension leave him, thinking that perhaps it was over and Leon wasn’t going to come back. Eyes flicking over to Junko, however, saw her grinning madly and desperately trying not to laugh as she watched him, specifically, and occasionally Ibuki. The sound of footsteps on the video pulled Kazuichi back into focus, and to his horror Leon had returned with his personal tool kit in hand. He headed straight for the bathroom and began tinkering with the lock, trying to reassure Maizono the whole time that it was gonna be fine and she just needed to get out of there. Nagito was shaking beside him so much that Kazuichi could feel the spasming shivers himself, and the other members of Ultimate Despair were breathing heavily and gasping at every turn of events.  
  
    “OOOOOH he picked up the fucking knife!” Sonia gripped Gundham’s arm, a delighted noise leaving his throat also.  
  
     “Maizono-san, I’m coming in...” he said, holding the knife just in case she ran at him again. As soon as the door opened, she let out a screech and rushed at him, grabbing for the knife in his hand like a feral beast. “St-stop! Leave it! Just talk to me, calm down!” he yelled, pulling the knife away from her but she continued to attack him. In a blurry scuffle, suddenly she froze. “Maizono...san....” Leon gasped as she fell back onto the bathroom floor, clutching her stomach as blood began to flow freely. Leon dropped the knife, muttering curses under his breath as he backed away from her as she lay there coughing, sputtering, dying. Izuru stopped the playback then, and the wide-eyed occupants of the room erupted into applause. Except for Ibuki and Kazuichi.  
  
    “Awww, Ibuki-chan, did seeing your girlfriend die upset you?” Junko stood, coming to cradle the stricken musician in her arms. Ibuki began to cry, wailing and mumbling Sayaka’s name while tugging at her hair so hard it looked like she would pull it all out. “But isn’t that what we’re here for? THIS? Despair looks so good on you, darling...” Junko caressed Ibuki’s face and shoved her away, coming to stand in front of Kazuichi. “And yours will look even better. He doesn’t stand a chance during the class trial, you know. Are you ready to experience despair at its fullest? I certainly am, for your sake... Which is why I need you to come with me, Kazuichi...” She ran her sharp nails along his jaw, and he let out a low giggle at the sensation. Despair at its finest? He couldn’t wait... Leon wouldn’t survive the trial... Junko’s words were like a siren’s song directly into his mind and body, and he followed her out of the room.  
  
    “What do you need me to do? I just wanna see Leon...” he mumbled, the crazy soup of emotions churning in his head. Junko laughed and linked her arm through his as they walked.  
  
    “You’ll get to see him soon, it’s what I promised you, remember? He has to be executed, and then you can see him all you want. You’ll be experiencing true, utter despair once he’s dead, and then you’ll be even more useful to me! Leon will be so proud of you, won’t he Souda-pop?” she squeezed his arm as they stopped in front of his workshop door. Numbly, he opened it and she skipped inside; Junko using Leon’s pet name for him caused bile to rise into his throat. The despair in his mind however produced a different reaction, and he began giggling outright at the usage of a nickname he hadn’t heard in a long time.  
  
    “Souda-pop... I’m his bubblegum candy... hee hee...” he mumbled to himself, heading straight over to his work table and sitting down in his chair. Many black and white mechanical bears lay strewn around on the floor around him, parts open as if their guts were spilled. One bear was on the desk itself, looking more finished and ready than the others, and Junko ran her fingers across it before looping herself around him to sit on the desk directly in front of him.  
  
     “Is the special Monokuma I requested done yet? I think I’ll have to use him today...” she tilted her head like a little girl asking a parent for permission. “Since you and Ibuki-chan both are gonna be experiencing true despair, I want to be just like you? Senpai...” she switched over from sickeningly cute to seductive in half a second. Moving herself down from the table and into his lap, she straddled him and pulled his beanie off, running her sharp fingernails through his uneven hair. “Only you can do this for me, hnnn... You’re really my favorite, making all these lovely things for me... I want to show you how grateful I am...” she leaned in and kissed him, running her soft tongue over his chapped lips and rubbing her body sensually over his crotch. Kazuichi felt himself struggle internally, as his fevered mind knew that she was not Leon but she was the one who was giving him everything, she would give him Leon at the end of the trial and he would get to see him again... His arms rose from their slackened positions at his side, one coming around to firmly deepen their kiss by pressing the back of her head into him, while the other gripped at her ample bosom. She moaned, biting at his lip and grinding her hips once more, before pulling away to nibble at his jawline. “The Spears of Gugnir Monokuma... Is he ready? I’ll be taking him then... Thank you, Souda-pop...” she reached behind her and fluidly removed the Monokuma from his desk and herself from his lap in one motion.  
  
    Kazuichi nodded, numbly registering that her advances left no tightness in his pants, before pulling another Monokuma off the floor to begin adding more details to its inner workings. Junko did not spare him another glance before exiting his workshop. Huffing briefly to himself, he was subconsciously aware of how Junko was just so good at manipulating each and every one of them... She knew that he, for example, in most situations would bend over backwards for an attractive person if they asked anything of him. It had been two whole years of her influence that had left him this way: no longer the emotional, dopey, somewhat naive Kazuichi Souda that had good intentions but often came across the wrong way. Now, he was stoic and downright mean, sadistic and cunning, plotting new ways to maim and creatively construct the mechanisms that Junko asked for. If he allowed himself to get distracted for a moment, he could remember so so clearly...  
  
     _The first day of class of their second year left Kazuichi and his grade curious to see the fresh meat entering the school, as Hope’s Peak Academy did not just let anyone into its ranks. He and a few of his closer friends from the 77th class sat in the cafeteria at a table, watching as the newbies filed in._  
  
_“Ah, I believe it will be an exciting year for us, right Tanaka-san?” Sonia leaned her head onto Gundham’s shoulder, causing the Ultimate Breeder to flush and pull up his scarf. He still didn’t seem to be used to the two of them being in a steady relationship; quite frankly, neither was Kazuichi._  
  
_“I hope there’ll be some new fish to fry! I can’t wait to fight ‘em all!” Akane Owari appeared behind them, her arm linked with Nekomaru Nidai’s. Having heard their conversation as they walked towards the food, Akane of course had to make a comment about it. The athlete and trainer had an odd relationship, as no one knew if they were fucking or if they were just weird. Kazuichi was already the third wheel in this conversation, but now he felt like the fifth. He slumped forward, arms cradling his face on the table to hide his pout._  
  
_“Ah, some of the new students are coming in!” Sonia sat up in her seat curiously, one of Gundham’s hamsters crawling from his scarf onto her shoulder as she did so. Kazuichi lazily looked over at the cafeteria door to see a group of students meandering in slowly; a tiny young girl was following after two boys who seemed to be getting along despite their very visible differences (one had the uniform of a hall monitor, while the other looked like he belonged in a gang or something), a gothic looking girl with drill curls had a very large nerdy kid following after her begging her to take a drink of his tea, there was a cute girl with blue hair in a school uniform talking animatedly to a boy with messy brown hair, and on his other side a redheaded punk kid grabbed the boy in a headlock and gave him a noogie, causing another girl with tan skin and a swim team jacket to burst into giggles. A few more followed in, all still in their normal wear as they must not have received the Hope’s Peak uniform yet. They went their separate ways in order to get food, and Kazuichi returned to his position moping in his seat as his two best friends snuggled next to each other in obvious bliss._  
  
_“I wonder what their Talents are... Surely nothing as dark and otherworldly as my own,” Gundham mused, scanning the new students viciously. The effect was somewhat ruined by one of his hamsters crawling atop his head and nestling in his hair. Sonia giggled, but nodded enthusiastically._  
  
_“Souda-kun, I’m sure one of these new students will be interesting enough to join us on occasion for lunch? It would be hella rad, yes?” she turned her shining eyes to him, and he flushed and sputtered as she still had an effect on him._  
  
_“Of course, Miss Sonia! If you say so there’s no doubt!” he replied, smiling at her. Her face lit up, and she returned to scanning the crowd as the students continued to eat and socialize._  
  
_“Perhaps one of them may become your lover?” she mused quite casually, finger tapping her cheek as she considered the idea. Kazuichi choked and stared at her with wide eyes._  
  
_“M-miss Sonia! Don’t say stuff like that...So casually...” he hissed._  
  
_“My Dark Lady is correct. It is about time you found yourself a consort, fiend!” Gundham replied firmly, sending a glare in Kazuichi’s direction. The mechanic rolled his eyes, used to Gundham’s way of speech by now and not taking too much offense; he flushed even darker at the prospect of dating someone from a younger grade, however._  
  
     “Maybe I could become somebody’s senpai...” he muttered, not realizing he had said this aloud. Sonia beamed at him.  
  
_“Indeed! This will be our course of action for this scholastic year! I decree it!” Sonia planted her hand firmly on the table to seal the deal, and Kazuichi let out a frustrated smile before pulling his beanie off to fix his hair. As he did so, the bright pink neon color seemed to catch quite a few of the new kids’ attention, and they looked over at their table with interest. Kazuichi blinked, shoved his beanie back onto his head, and turned to look at his friends as if to start a conversation._  
  
_“Yo, nice hair dude. Mind if we sit here?” Kazuichi turned to see the redheaded punk kid and the messy-haired boy with the hoodie holding their breakfast trays and looking expectantly at him. Kazuichi simply stared dumbly at the two of them; they wanted to sit with him? Sonia kicked him under the table._  
  
_“OW! Uh... Yeah, go ahead,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at the princess. Gundham chuckled under his breath and took Sonia’s hand in his own before placing it on the table in plain sight; even he wanted to showcase to the newcomers that no, the blonde beauty was not available._  
  
_“Thanks dude! I’m Leon Kuwata, that’s Makoto Naegi. I guess you’re in the year above us?” he said, before beginning to wolf down his food at an inhuman speed. Kazuichi couldn’t help but grin at him._  
  
_“Yeah, we’re the 77th class. I’m Kazuichi Souda, the ultimate mechanic!” the pink-haired male gave a little wave before looking at his friends at the table._  
  
_“I am Sonia Nevermind, princess of the Kingdom of Novoselic. I am the ultimate princess. This is my, how do you call it? Boyfriend? Gundham Tanaka,” she squeezed Gundham’s hand, and he flushed but regained his composure as he had an audience._  
  
_“I am the supreme dark overlord, Gundham Tanaka! Fear me, and the powers of the Underworld that I possess! I shall unleash my Four Dark Devas of Destruction upon those who cross me!” he exclaimed, causing Leon and Naegi to jump in their seats a bit. Their eyes widened a whole lot when they saw the four hamsters crawl out of his scarf, and they exchanged a look. Kazuichi was worried that Gundham would scare them away, so he waved his hand in front of Gundham’s face in order to get him to shut up._  
  
_“What he means is, he’s the ultimate breeder. Don’t mind him, he’s just like that. What’re your talents?” he nervously interjected, ignoring the offended look on Gudham’s face._  
  
_“It’s cool, man! I’m the ultimate baseball star... But to hell with that shit! I actually wanna become the ultimate rock star! So much cooler, right?” Leon grinned, twirling a tongue piercing Kazuichi hadn’t noticed before between his teeth. For some reason, the sight caused his heart to flutter._  
  
_“You should speak with Ibuki! She is the ultimate music club member, she was part of an all-girls pop group!” Sonia replied, and Leon’s face gained some interest._  
  
_“That’s why I was talkin’ to Maizono-san, she’s the ultimate idol and Naegi knew her from middle school, so it might work out as a connection to the industry, ya get me?” Leon replied, winking at Naegi who laughed awkwardly._  
  
_“What about your talent? Answer me, fiend!” Gundham interjected, pointing at Naegi with his free hand. The brunet’s eye twitched but he smiled regardless._  
  
_“I don’t know how it counts as a ‘talent’ exactly, but mine is the ultimate lucky student?” his voice was kind and soothing, reminding Kazuichi of one person... No, perhaps two..._  
  
_“That’s the same talent as Nagito, isn’t it?” he turned to scan the room for the white haired weirdo, but couldn’t find him. “Yeah, his talent is luck as well. You remind me of him actually, weird... That and of Hajime a little bit too, but he’s been so busy with some project ever since Christmas break last year that I don’t really know when you’ll get to meet him.”_  
  
_“Dude, I gotta ask, how’re those teeth? They’re sick!” Leon interrupted, as watching Kazuichi talk so much he had gotten quite a few glimpses of the sharpened teeth in his mouth. He bit his lip (only showcasing them further) and chuckled._  
  
_“Yeah, I wanted a new look before coming to Hope’s Peak so I changed it up a bit. Pretty punk rock, yeah?” he shrugged, trying to play it as cool as possible. Leon’s eyes sparked and he reached a balled hand across the table towards Kazuichi expecting a fist bump._  
  
_“Dude, we’re gonna get along great. Fuck yeah!” he exclaimed, and Kazuichi happily returned the fist bump with the widest smile he’d worn in a long time._  
  
    Their first meeting wasn’t something that Kazuichi had willingly brought so vividly into his memories, but there it was, and now he was shaking and laughing uncontrollably with his upper body sprawled across his desk; these memories were bringing him such despair it physically hurt. He sat up and let out a maniacal screech of laughter, hands clawing at his face and getting grime and motor oil all over it; he wanted to rip the flesh off of his own face, stab his eyeballs out with a screwdriver, pry apart his own heart from his ribcage and take it apart so that it wouldn’t feel this way anymore.  
  
    Yet there Junko was, her cold grip steeling his actions and allowing this utter despair that he was beginning to fully experience propel him forward; the death of Leon at the class trial was imminent. With Kirigiri and Naegi both on the case, it was impossible for him to hide his crime. His best friend, his lover, his soulmate... Would die tonight.  
  
-  
  
    He must have put himself into a sort of frenzy that tired him out, because he awoke atop his desk without remembering ever falling asleep. Streaks of tears and oil criss-crossed his cheeks, an unfinished Monokuma shoved to the side. A smaller gear was stuck to his face, and he pulled it off with a sneer. Standing up, he turned to check the time and saw that it was nearing the end of the day and the Class Trial would begin soon. Junko would want everyone there for that, but Kazuichi disdainfully made up his mind not to attend. He was her favorite after all; she would give it a pass. It was also his task to set up the execution site, and so he headed out of his workshop to find the mastermind to receive his orders.  
  
    As he walked, he came across Ibuki and narrowed his eyes at her. No longer her pre-despair self, he was used to the way she treated everyone like they were disgusting and horrid creatures, but after the death of Sayaka today a whole new Ibuki was born: the Ibuki Mioda of Ultimate Despair. She now looked completely bored, one of her hands coming up across her face in an L shape as she began addressing him.  
  
    “Your lover will die tonight too. I guess that means you’ll feel just like me... Wow, that’s bringing me down. I should write a song about this.” Kazuichi was stricken by her behavior as she was now acting almost shockingly like one of Junko’s many personalities. Her voice monotonous, Ibuki continued to ramble under her breath until Kazuichi simply scoffed at her and moved past her, over to the control room where Junko undoubtedly was. He was not expecting her to be writhing on the floor and moaning as if coming down from an orgasm. That’s what it looked like, anyways.  
  
    “Oh, Souda-pop! The despair is soooo-da-licious! Hee hee, see what I did there? Hnnnn, now I too am just as despairing as you will be, ohhhhh!” she crawled over to him, yanking him to his knees with surprising force before crawling to wrap her arms and legs around him like a spider with its prey. “I too have killed the one I love, with something you created... It’s such a wondrous feeling, I can’t stop shivering!” she shook in his arms, and Kazuichi stared numbly across her wild hair to the monitor where over and over again, the Monokuma he had created for her suddenly activated upon contact with the false Junko and released the Spears of Gugnir, impaling who he knew to be Junko’s own twin sister Mukuro Ikusaba. Blood splattered over and over, Mukuro’s expression of terror and betrayal was zoomed in upon on another screen, and Kazuichi was stiffly observing Junko as she seemed to get off on all of this. He couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle, one of his hands wrapping around her to pull her head forcefully over to face him.  
  
    “What would you have me do, then? How can we be alike?” he heard himself say. Junko let out a delighted moan, her hands coming up to tug at his braid and scrape across his cheeks with her nails.  
  
    “Senpai, ohhh, you’re so good to me. I’ll reward you when this is over tonight, hmm? I have the most fitting punishment for your Leon-kun, and the best part is that it’s already been built! Take the present you made for him to the execution room, and then I’m sure you’ll know what to do...” she purred, her long tongue slithering from her lips in order to lick up his neck until she reached his ear. “You’ve made all my plans possible, hnn, you’re such a good boy...” she crushed her body to his once more before pulling herself up to sit back in her chair, pulling the Monokuma microphone over and announcing that it was time for the class trial.  
  
    Kazuichi stood and left, brushing past everyone else who had begun filing in to watch the trial as Junko controlled Monokuma and pushed everything along as according to plan. Their headquarters was under the school building, in the same area as where the class trial itself was being held although the remaining members of the 78th class did not know this and had no access to their areas. The execution chamber was also down here; Kazuichi had converted it into such out of what used to be a large hangar used for storing all sorts of vehicles, including a plane (one of the previous Hope’s Peak students from a few years before them was the ultimate pilot, after all). For tonight’s execution, Junko had already seen to it that there was ample space for him to set up. Based on her words, Kazuichi had the perfect setting in mind as he set to work.  
  
    “The thing Leon loved to hate... Baseball... Yes, he’ll die here, in a baseball diamond!” he muttered fervently, pressing a bunch of controls in order to convert the basic landscape of the room into what he wanted. He dragged a metal pillar into the middle of the structure, sort of like a stake to be burned at. That would be for another time, if that horrid Celestia girl ever committed a murder; for now, it was placed on a rotating device so that it could swivel around all 360 degrees. He stared at the empty diamond, even the sight of it caused his heart to clench in agony at the memories it brought up. He let out a shout of frustration and kicked over a toolbox, one of his most likely, before turning back around to storm over to the corner where he knew he had housed it. Ripping the tarp off of the invention, the machine he had created as a gift for Leon saw the light of day after a year of no use. Kazuichi began cackling maniacally as he rolled it over towards the pitcher’s area of the execution diamond, securing it into place.  
  
    “Million Fungoes, nice to see you again...” he hissed, darkly rubbing some of the grime off of the machine and pressing the button to begin loading the baseballs from the storage area where they were kept.  
  
     _“Hey, Souda-pop, you don’t need to blindfold me, I promise I can keep my eyes closed...” Leon grumbled, hand latched tightly onto Kazuichi’s callused one as he was dragged through the school one night._  
  
_“Nah, then how would it be a surprise you idiot? Just shut up and follow me, we’re almost there!” was his reply, and the thrill at being able to hold Leon’s hand made it almost worth the entire trip even if Leon hated his machine._  
  
_“Why the hell did ya even make me something? My birthday isn’t for another few months...” Leon questioned, but was immediately shushed by the pink-haired mechanic._  
  
_“Okay, we’re here! I’m gonna put you right where you need to be, then when I tell you to, take off the blindfold!” Kazuichi explained. Leon floundered helplessly but remained standing where he had been dragged to, and Kazuichi used that moment to slip a baseball bat into Leon’s hands before scampering over to the machine in order to turn it on. “Alright, now!”_  
  
    Leon ripped the blindfold off and frowned upon seeing that they were in a baseball diamond; his eyes found Kazuichi, who was grinning that shark-toothed grin at him like a maniac and standing next to some weird machine. Leon assumed that he had built it for him, but what did it do? Why was there a baseball bat in his hand? Oh...  
  
_“Get ready!” Kazuichi called out, and the first ball was sent flying from the machine and Leon immediately knocked it right out of the park. Kazuichi let out a whoop and fifteen balls later, Leon had still knocked them all out as home runs. Smiling a little as the mechanic made his way back over to him, Leon wiped some sweat off his brow before asking._  
  
_“So what’s that all about?”_  
  
_“Um, well I remember how much you hate practice... You were talking to Naegi about it too, and I figured this’d be a good way for you to still play some ball but without ever having to go to practice itself! It can pitch a million baseballs, I know it’s a bit over the top but then again so’re you...” Kazuichi was rambling and he knew it, but Leon thankfully cut him off._  
  
_“Million Fungoes, huh? I like it. You’re seriously so badass for making this for me, thanks Souda-pop!” Leon was grinning and threw himself at the mechanic, pulling him into a tight hug. Kazuichi never wanted the contact to end, and he muffled his face into the taller boy’s jacket to hide a soft smile._  
  
    “Something I made for you... Something I made out of love, will be the something that ends your life... Haha... Hahahahaha! I can taste the despair, it’s so close!” Kazuichi’s words echoed throughout the chamber, and he began running around the room in a daze, hitting things with his wrench and banging things up as he laughed. “I can’t wait to experience what will truly destroy all hope! Uha..hahahaha...ugh.... Leon....” he choked on his laughter, tripping and falling to the floor in a tumble. He let out wails and moans, tugging at his matted hair and gasping as the tears started to fall unwillingly down his face. He had entered into a panic attack, knowing that the class trial was going on as he lay there, and Leon would soon be in this very room and he was the one who was able to either spare him or take his life.  
  
     _“That’s right... She doesn’t have as much power as me. She needs me, she can’t make anything without my help... She said she’d give me Leon, well, I want him alive! I want him to see what he’s done to me, what I’ve become..._ Huhuahahahahaha, I know how to fix this...” his eyes darted crazily as he scrambled to his feet and set to work.  
  
-  
     Kazuichi Souda watched from the execution room as per his design, the chain dragged Leon by the neck kicking and screaming all the way to the pillar. More chains emerged and wrapped around his body, pinning him to the structure. Million Fungoes rolled into view; the other classmates were finally brought to the spectators area of the diamond, unaware of the pink-haired mechanic watching from the shadows. Leon’s eyes seemed to widen as the machine equipped, and Kazuichi’s heart leapt to his throat; had he somehow recognized it? Biting his lip so hard that he drew blood, dark thoughts of what he would do to Leon once he had him entered his mind and eclipsed any and all fear of Junko’s wrath. Without him, she was nothing, and she knew it. Her other followers feared him in the state he was in now, and it was enough to cause him to grin with a mouthful of sharp teeth and press a new button, one he had fashioned not fifteen minutes before.  
  
    As Monokuma began the punishment, an invisible liner of PBI plastic, transparent to the eye unless you looked hard enough and punctured a few times with a few invisible holes, rose from the floor beneath Leon’s pillar. It surrounded him, and even he didn’t seem to notice. With another press of a button, timed just as the first volley of baseballs left the machine, the plastic heated and compressed, sticking to Leon’s skin as if to a vacuum tube. For a few minutes he wouldn’t be able to breathe, but that was ideal as Kazuichi needed him to pass out. The plastic wouldn’t completely protect him from the impacts, but it would definitely prevent him from getting killed; PBI plastic was the strongest in the world, almost on par to steel. With just enough, he was able to shield Leon for his purposes while still letting him experience the fear of death. And to everyone else, as soon as the machine stopped pelting balls at him, it would look like he was dead, too.  
  
    Junko’s desire to play horribly terrifying music throughout the execution to add to the “show” of it all only helped Kazuichi with his plan, as Leon’s muffled screams would not arouse suspicion. Kazuichi himself had to muffle his own laughter at the actions he was committing; if Junko didn’t allow him to keep his pet, he’d simply stop making things for her. If she tried to kill Leon again, he’d do much worse and open the school up for everyone to escape from, free of despair. He nearly had his entire fist shoved into his mouth in attempt to keep from cackling uncontrollably; it was her fault for making him this cunning, this cruel.  
  
    The last, bloody baseball rolled to the floor. Thanks to the holes he had poked into the plastic, some of Leon’s blood had escaped and made the execution look all the more realistic. The music ended, and the limp, broken body of the supposedly dead Leon Kuwata hung before his classmates. They were ushered out of the area by Monokuma, and then Kazuichi was alone. He walked over to the body, unchained Leon who was still covered in the sheet, and laid him down. He bent over him as if in pain, as if about to cry; secretly, he sliced a larger gap in the area of plastic around Leon’s mouth, to not deprive him of too much air. He knew Junko’s attention would be all over him now, but he had installed the cameras everywhere per her request so he knew where they faced. Now, Kazuichi Souda would become an actor.  
  
    “I... I did it! I finally killed Leon! Ahahahaha, so this is Ultimate Despair! Uhuhuh... Leon... I killed you and you didn’t even remember me to begin with! So I’m the only one in pain... Ahahah! Leon... oh.... Leon....” he was shocked at how easy it was, to tap into those feelings. He supposed that in a way, the situation had caused him to teeter on the edge of true despair, but as always he was a coward and couldn’t go through with it. The thought caused him to wail and cry even more, rocking Leon’s broken body closer to him. No, he wanted Leon alive, so that he could see the torment behind Kazuichi’s own broken soul... That would be true despair, for both of them.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> How was it? Hopefully not too weird. Please leave me some encouragement and comments to let me know how I did; as for the other DR fic I'm writing, no worries about that! I'm still working on it, but I couldn't wait to write some of this OTP so here it is.


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